Many students and teachers of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) spend years practicing forgiveness and never directly experience awakening. They often believe they are awakening because they feel more peaceful or have shifts in perception, and yet still remain identified with the personal self-identity and the conceptual framework of ACIM.

The core reason (I feel) for this “stuckness” is that unknowingly forgiveness is held as a process rather than allowing it to complete itself and dissolve the need for further practicing. It’s the rope and carrot trick of the ego.

Why Do So Many Stay Stuck?

Forgiveness is seen as an endless practice rather than a means to an end.

ACIM describes forgiveness as a tool to undo illusion, yet many students see it as something they must keep doing indefinitely rather than recognizing when its function is complete.

Instead of awakening to the Self beyond forgiveness, they continue cycling through grievances, trying to forgive an illusion that was never real, unknowingly reinforcing the belief in time/space and phenomenal experiences as real.

Many students also believe awakening is a gradual process rather than an immediate recognition of what already is. “I’m not there yet.”

“I am on a journey of awakening,” which implies a future event rather than realizing the Self is already awake now. Mistaking conceptual understanding for direct experience.

ACIM provides a sophisticated nondual thought system, yet many students are stuck understanding it intellectually without actually abiding in Awareness beyond concepts, unconsciously holding onto the personal self identity.

If you find yourself still identifying as the person doing the Course, rather than seeing that there is no individual “I” to awaken (the ego doesn’t awaken), this can be very subtle and un-noticed.

There is a subtle use of ACIM language to reinforce duality.

If the separate self is still believed to be real, then forgiveness never truly completes — you can tell this is true if Jesus, Holy Spirit, and God are still seen as separate. Many students still believe…

How to Introduce an Understanding and Practice That Leads to “Unstuckness”

The shift from being stuck in practice to directly realizing the awakened state requires a radical shift in how the student approaches the Course.

Here’s how to cut through the illusion of endless practice and move directly into abiding awareness.

1. 1. Make Forgiveness Complete.
      This is a statement of truth. Recognize That There Is Nothing to Forgive. Forgiveness in ACIM is not about forgiving real events but about seeing that what you, Awakening Awareness, (Not the person) thought happened never actually occurred because the world of form is an illusion, meaning it comes and goes in you Awareness.

   ACIM Quote:
   “Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred.” (W-pII.1.1:1)

   Most students continue practicing forgiveness because (as a person) they still believe something happened to the person by another.

   Shift in Practice:
   Try this:
   Instead of constantly practicing forgiveness, ask:
   “What if there was nothing to forgive because nothing actually happened?”

   Sit with this a minute.

   This moves from a process-based approach to an immediate recognition that no grievance, worry, fear, thoughts about the thing ever truly occurred. Thoughts are also temporary.

   Key Insight: It’s radical, but this is it.

   Forgiveness is complete when you stop believing in a world that needs forgiving, fixing, changing, or upsetting you in any way.

   No world = nothing happened = no need to forgive. What sees this? Your Awareness (the Holy Spirit) does.

   This instantly removes the need for continuous forgiveness work and shifts the focus to direct experience of Reality. You Awareness.

   2. Drop the Personal Identity That Believes It Is Awakening.

   Most students are stuck because they still believe they are the person doing the Course and very few will be able to say they are Awake. This is tricky. An Awakened being will not say it either, but it will be revealed if it is asked so that the answer is coming from the Self that knows itself.

   ACIM Quote:
   “You are still as God created you.” (W-94, W-110, W-162)
   Creation is not a cause and effect. Creation is the totality of the whole.

   If you are already as God created you, then:

   There is no personal self that needs healing. There is no journey.
   Being Awake is already the case.

   Shift in Practice:
   Instead of trying to “wake up,” ask and don’t answer this with the mind. Contemplate the question and let it be revealed. You will see this.

   “Who is the one that thinks it needs awakening?”
   “If I stop identifying as the student, what remains?”

   Realization:
   The one who seeks awakening is the illusion — once that’s seen, only Awareness remains.

   3. Stop Looking for Awakening in Time — It’s Only Now

   Many ACIM students think they are on a journey of awakening, which subtly places enlightenment in the future. ACIM says, Enlightenment is the recognition of what you are always.

   ACIM Quote:
   “Time but seems to go in one direction. We but undertake a journey that is over.” (T-16.VII.5:7)

   If the journey is already over, then why are we still seeking? What are you still forgiving?
   Who is the one forgiving?

   Shift in Practice:
   Instead of thinking awakening is something that will happen, ask:
   “If awakening is now, what happens if I stop looking for it to happen later?”

   Realization:
   Awakening is not a future event — it’s the recognition that there never was a separate self.

   4. Abide as Awareness Instead of Intellectualizing the Course

   Many students think understanding ACIM deeply is the same as awakening. But ACIM’s goal is not intellectual — it is direct experience.

   ACIM Quote:
   “Forget this world, forget this course, and come with wholly empty hands unto your God.” (L-189.7:5) Come unto your Self as Awareness.

   If the Course itself must be forgotten, then clearly, it is only a tool, not the Truth itself.

   Shift in Practice:
   Instead of analyzing ACIM, practice silent awareness.
   Sit quietly and ask:
   “If I stop thinking about the Course, or better yet, if I stay unattached to thoughts that come and go, what is left?”

   Realization:
   Words are not Reality — they are only pointers.
   Letting go of concepts reveals direct experience.

   5. Recognize That Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God Are Not Separate from You

   Many ACIM students keep Jesus and the Holy Spirit external, which reinforces duality.

   ACIM Quote:
   “Is he the Christ? O yes, along with you.” (C-5.5:7)

   Shift in Practice:
   Instead of thinking Jesus or the Holy Spirit will save you, ask:
   “If I stop thinking of Jesus as separate, who am I?”
   “If the Holy Spirit is just my own awareness, what happens when I fully trust it?”

   Realization:
   The “other” was never separate — You are already that.
   The personal self identity dissolves, leaving only Awareness.

   6. Final Step: “God’s Final Step” Stop Practicing and Simply Be

   The final step is radically simple: If you keep practicing awakening, you reinforce the belief that you are not already awake. Stop seeking, stop doing, and simply be what you’ve always been. “YOU”

   Final Realization:
   Awakening is not something to achieve — it is what remains when you stop believing in a separate “I.”

   Conclusion: The Key to “Unstuckness”

   Forgiveness is complete when you realize there’s nothing to forgive.
   There is no personal self to awaken.
   Stop placing awakening in time — it’s already now. You are the Awareness of love’s presence.
   Let go of intellectual understanding — abide in silent Awareness.
   Recognize that Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God were never separate from You.
   They are you as “I AM.”

   — Bill Free
   Center For Awakening – Cofounder
   Pure Presence Conferences – Founder
   Awakening Mind Films – Cofounder

   ---

   Join us for the transformative experiences listed below (available in Awakening Live ’25) — all designed to help you live with more presence, peace, and freedom. These interactive sessions are a powerful way to receive support, guidance, and opportunities to experience & embody the teachings, as well as connect with others walking the same path.

   — MEDITATION & HEALING with Jody Agard, Mon (Bi-Weekly) 11am ET
   — GUIDED BY A COURSE IN MIRACLES – ANCHORED IN JOY with Bill Free & Mark Anthony Lord, first Mon of the month, 5pm ET
   — AWAKENING TO LOVE’S PERFECT CREATION AS YOU with Oliver Blue, Wed (Bi-Weekly) 11am ET
   — ADVAITA IN ACIM with Amy Haible, Thurs 4pm ET
   — BOOK STUDY (“I AM” by Jean Klein) with Carol Roblin & Nancy Ouellet, Fri 12pm ET

   REGISTER HERE!